Improvement in grain-binders



- i 2 sheets-Sheena.

J. P. GORDON.

"Grain-Binder. No. 211,150. Patented Jan. 7,1879.

N. PETERS. FHDTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D c.

UNITED STATES Para '1 JAMES F. GORDON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-BINDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,150, dated January 7, 1879 application filed a November (29, 1878.

7 .To all whom it may concern.-

- of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Grain-Binders, of which the follow-, ing is a specification:

This invention relates to that well-known class of machines in which vibrating or reciprocating binding mechanism is employed, more particularly to that type of Gordon machine in which the binding mechanism vibrates abou a vertical axis.

The invention consists in employing, in connection with a binder-arm, which descends through the moving grain,a divider, which ascends through the grain, the divider and binder-arm being arranged with reference to each other in such manner as to separate the grain and effect a clean separation of each bundle or gavel from the loose grain in the manner of mounting and operating the binderarm; in a peculiar take-up device, and in other detailshereinafter described. Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents an outside elevation of my machine in position on a harvester; Fig. 2, a top-plan view of the same, with a portion of the grain table or receiver broken away to expose the parts below; Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line a: :0 of Fig. 2, showing the divider and binder-arm and their operating mechanism; Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section on the line 3 g of Fig. 1.

In its general construction and mode of operation the present machine is similar to that for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 26th day of October, 1875, No. 169,258, consisting, essentially, of a grain table or receiver, a verticallymoving binder arm, arranged to vibrate horizontally above the table, and a corresponding vibrating twisting mechanism belowthe table, the whole binding mech- V anism being made adjustable, as usual, in the D, the vertically-moving and horizontally-vibratingbinder-arm E, the vibratin g arm, upon which the binder-arm and twisting devices are supported and carried; F, the twisting de vices, located beneath the binding-table, G, a metal frame, mounted on ears or guides, and adapted to support the vibrating arm E. The arm E is provided at its rear end with an upright hub or enlargement, to, which is mounted upon a vertical axis or. pivot, b, formed on the rear end of the frame G, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At its upper end the hub a is provided with two rearwardly-extendin g ears, 0, between which the rear end of the binder-arm D is mounted on a horizontal pivot, d. This admits of the binder-arm moving vertically on the pivot d, while at the same time said pivot connects the binder-arm and twister-carrying arm E in such manner that the two must vibrate horizontally together.

In .order to impart the proper movements to the arms D and E, the rear end of the former is extended downward beyond the pivot d, and

connected by a horizontal pivot, e, to an arm, H, which latter has its forward end mounted on a vertical crank-pin, f, on a horizontal wheel, I, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, so that the rotation of the wheel and crank-pin moving the arm H endwise effects the vertical reciprocation of the arm D, and at the same time, by moving the end of the arm H laterally,

causes it to impart to the arm D, and thence to the arm E, a horizontal vibration.

In order to relieve the joint 0 from horizontal strain and admit of the parts being made lighter than otherwise, the crank-pin f is extended into a longitudinal groove in the arm E, as represented in Figs. 1 and 4, so as to act directly thereon and impart, or assist in imparting, the vibratory motion thereto.

While it is preferred to thus extend the crank-pin into the arm E, the connection may be dispensed with and a horizontal vibration of the parts effected wholly by means of the arm H or, instead of extending the crank-pin into the arm E, the arm may be provided with a depending stud arranged to enter a longitudinal'slot in the arm H, the efi'ect of such arrangement, like that of the upward extension of the crank-pin, being to relieve the joint 0 from lateral strain and to cause the crank-pin Prion.

to impart the vibratory motion directly to the arm E instead of transmitting it through the binder-arm, as in the drawing.

By arranging and operating the binderarm in the manner above described, I am enabled to simplify and lighten the machine without in the least impairing its efficiency.

For the purpose of rotating the twister-head, which may be of any suitable construction, and provided with a pinion, as usual, I employ a reciprocatin g rack-bar, J, having its rear end mounted on the crank-pin f, this arrangement imparting the necessary movements to the rack and twister, and avoiding the necessity of the complicated arrangements hitherto employed for that purpose.

As a means of guiding. the binding-wire and taking up the slack of the same at the proper time,I employa guide-arm, K, rigidly attached to the hub to, overhanging the binding-table from the rear side, mounting on said arm at its forward end a pulley, v1, and at its rear end two pulleys, 7c and Z, and also mounting on the binder-arm a pulley, m, midway between the pulleys 70 Z. The wire passes over the pulley l, which may, if desired, be a wire reel or spool, thence 7 under the pulley m over.v the pulley k, and down over the pulley i to the twisting devices. As the bin der-arm descends, the pulley m, passing down between the pulleys 70 1, causes the slack of the wire to be taken up, so as to prevent it from winding about the nose'of the binder-arm; but as the binder-arm ascends, previous to passing the wire around the grain, the wire is again slackened, the arrangement of parts being such that the rise of the arm and slackening of the wire commence just previous to thecommencement of the action of the twister-head. By thus causing the arm to rise and slightly slacken the wire before the twister acts thereon, the twister is enabled to grasp the wire with certainty and ease, and is prevented froincutting or breaking the samea result which often happens when the hook is brought suddenly and violently in contact with the highlystrained wire, as in machines of the ordinary construction.

This slackening of the wire previous to the action of the twister forms an essential and improved feature of mypresen't invention.

For the purpose of dividing each bundle or gavel from the loose grain, I mountbeneath the binding-table a swinging and vertically-moving divider-arm, L. This arm is arranged to ascend through the slot in the grain-table by the side of the binder-arm as the latter descends through the inflowin g grain to separate the bundle therefrom. The divider and binderarm swing outward together until they reach a point at or aboutthe center of thebinding-table, when the divider-arm comes to a rest and holds back the loose grain, while the binder-arm con-v tinues its outward movement with the bundle, whereby a perfect separation of the bundle from the loose grain is effected. As the binderarm swings inward previous to the formation of another bundle the divider-arm drops'downward below the table out of the grain, and swings inward directly beneath the binderarm previous to its ascent, as before described.

The manner in which the movement of the divider is effected will be readily seen on reference to Figs. 2 and 3, the arm extending backward beneath the table, and being connected at its rear end by a "ertical pivot, 0, and a block, 19, which latter is connected by a horizontal pivot, r, to an arm, 8, secured rigidly on the side of the arm E. The pivot 0 permits the divider-arm to swing laterally independent of the motion of the binder-arm in order to separate therefrom, while the pivot 7' permits the vertical swinging motion of the divider, which is effected by means of a horizontal slide, 15, arranged to act upon the rear end of the arm 19, the slide receiving its motion from the crank-pin f, which acts against studs or ears on the ends of the slide. A spring, to, applied to the arm 1) and bearing against the divider-arm L, pushes the latter outward in the direction in which the binder-arm moves while receding with the bundle of grain. A strip, :0, applied to the binding-table, serves to arrest the outward movement of the dividerarm at the proper point.

The action is as follows: The binder-arm being swung inward in position to enter the grain, the divider-arm restsdirectly below the same. The rotation of the crank-pin f, at the same time that it causes the descent of the binder-arm, acts upon the slide t, which, in turn, tipping the arm 1), causes the point of the divider-arm to be thrown upwardthroug'h the grain. As the binder-arm swings outward with the bundle the spring 10 causes the di-' vider-arm to accompany it -until the stop an is reached, when the outward movement-of the divider-arm is arrested thereby, the binder arm continuing, however, its outward move ment, and separating from thedivider, which meanwhile is sustained in its elevated position. As the binder-arm swings inward-after thedeliveryof the bound bundle the crankpin f, acting on the slide, causes thedivider arm todescendbelow'the table by the side of the arm E, which swings it-inwardtoward the conveyer or inner side of the table,'in'position to ascend again through thegrain.

hile it is-preferred to arrange and actuate the divider-arm in the manner shown, it is obvious-that-it may be'changed in form/and that othendev'ices may be employe'd foroperatin g it, ifdesired. V I

I do not in this'patent claim thebroad idea of divider and binder arms mowing in'opposite directions, nor the combination of the binder-arm, arm H, and pin f, as they constitute thesubiect-matter of a separate application.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination of a grain-table, '0, a vertically and horizontally movingbinder-arm,

D, above the-table, and a vertically and horizontally moving divider-arm, L, below the table, substantially as shown.

2. In combination with a divider-arm, L, the 1aterally-moving arm E, pivoted arm 1?, spring 20, slide it, and crank-pin f.

3. The combination of the laterally-vibratin g arm E, having thctwistin g mechanism thereon, the vertically-moving. binder-arm D, arm 11, and crank-pin f, substantially as described and shown.

4. In a grain-binder, the combination of the horizontally-rotating crank-pin f, arranged to effect the horizontal vibration of the binding devices, and the twister-operating rack J, connected to said crank-pin, substantially as shown.

5. In combination with the grain-table, the aterally-vibrating binder-arm and the laterally-vibrating divider-arm L, a stop device, 00, arranged to limit the lateral movement of the divider-arm, substantially as described and shown.

6. In combination with stationary pulleys or guides for the binding-wire, a take-nppulley, m, attached to the vibrating binder-arm D, substantially as shown.

7. In a grain-binding machine, the combination of a binder-arm, a twisting mechanism, a take-up or tension device, substantially such as shown, arranged to slacken the wire at or immediately prior to the time of its being seized by the twister, substantially as described.

JAMES F. GORDON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR R. SELDEN, GEO. B. SELDEN. 

